"But sometimes, again, the "Appeal" would be desperately serious. It sent a correspondent to Colorado, and printed pages describing the overthrow of American institutions in that state."

HOHAM - Connection/Perspective: Oh my goodness, this was a great story! Predictable in some parts, but overall, pretty enjoyable to read! Now to get to the quote. This was a very significant quote I saw because it just goes to show how strict propaganda can be if one's passionate enough. A bit of force and intimidation was used, but never the less, they won Chicago!

I'm just going to go on a quick review of this book: Jurgis was your typical young adult guy who was so confident in things. He was muscular, had a beautiful wife, a house to live in with his family, and a job! Things seemed perfect for him because he was always optimistic and comforted Ona whenever she was in doubt or cried. I was smiling, grinning, and connecting with Jurgis at these times because, come on, who doesn't like being happy (and they make such a cute couple)? But things slowly went down hill, as Jurgis became extremely weak, frail, and sick. Not to mention Ona was overcome with depression, she couldn't tell her husband about her misfortune of getting raped by her own boss, the whole family splitting apart, and everyone getting sick. Just when I think things could eventually get better, Ona dies! She was my favorite character and I really think she could've made a bigger impact on the story if she was kept alive. Things slow down and Jurgis is left broken inside, he nearly commits murder, becomes a criminal, a drunkard, losing hope, and I died a little just reading all of that! I really felt as if the whole story got ruined and that the author had no more ideas, so the story just kept dragging along, However, just like I hoped, Jurgis united with the rest of his family and was overcome by hope when he heard about socialism. Heck, reading this part almost made ME want to turn to socialism just for people like Jurgis to be happy. I'm still all for capitalism, but this book struck me in so many ways and I feel as if I became apart of Jurgis. I kept seeing myself in each scene, every line went to the next and you get a huge shimmer of hope at the end when you find out Jurgis finally won something. That this story did have a happy ending, but you still have the heartache and thought in the back of your mind about Ona (at least that's how I feel) and that's what really drove me to enjoy this book.

I want to thank all my classmates for enjoying and reading this book with me so we can all share the same "feels". The quotes you guys chose and the analysis you guys made helped me connect more the the book and really understand a different person's perspective.

Thanks Mrs. Clark! This may sound a bit cliche, but this was one of the best books I read so far in high school, right next to "A Tale of Two Cities".

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Cole Sargent

11/4/2013 11:10:57 am

Great analysis! I also couldn't help but feel the sheer depression and hopelessness of the book affect me, and it took me a few minutes after setting down the book to realize that, hey, I'm not Jurgis, and I'm not living in a time period where rats literally eat people alive in meat factories!

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Sophia C.

11/4/2013 12:21:41 pm

I love that you not only went over the quote and how you felt about it, but also, since this is the last RJE, the entire book and your connection with, and feelings about it, as a whole. I really enjoyed seeing how you related and how much you really thought about the book and its impact on your life!

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Justin Walker

11/4/2013 03:19:25 pm

Despite this being the last RJE for The Jungle, there is definite room for improvement. The quote analysis, unfortunately, does not elaborate on any points made; simply following it up with a filibuster on the book's plot. I felt that you could have put more content and passion into the actual quote analysis rather than the plot synopsis.

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Jackson Walker

11/4/2013 09:35:24 am

"And we shall organize them, we shall drill them, we shall marshal them for the victory! We shall bear down the opposition, we shall sweep if before us—and Chicago will be ours! Chicago will be ours! CHICAGO WILL BE OURS!"" (Pg. 290, last page of the book)

Significance.

This analysis is less of this actual quote (which I used just as a representation) and more so the last three chapters as a whole.
As the book is coming to a finish, Upton Sinclair seems to be much more "preachy". I know Sinclair was a strong socialist, and his goal of this book was to spread his ideas, but now it's blatantly obvious of that. In the last three chapters, Jurgis finds refuge by joining a congregation of socialist, where he meets many people, gets a job at the hotel, blah blah blah. What I find interesting is how in the last three chapters Upton almost totally abandons the whole story of Jurgis and his family, and focuses more on explaining socialism for his readers. Personally I found it pretty disappointing. I was hoping for something more unexpected to happen to Jurgis, perhaps to leave it with a good ending. But the way it ended it felt abrupt, and without much closure, on a neutral note. I really enjoyed the process of the book, Jurgis' building up calluses to the cruel world of America- even the repetitiveness of the crappy things that he endured- but the ending was a let down for me. Perhaps I had too high of expectations. I guess what the take away is that hope is important- hope and faith in your beliefs- even though socialism never has "taken Chicago", or any city for that matter, as far as I know. Oh well!

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Tyler Felix

11/4/2013 09:38:04 am

I agree Jack! I noticed that Sinclair does start to preach towards the end of the final chapter...

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Sabrina

11/4/2013 09:47:23 am

Maybe this was a reflection of Sinclairs personal thoughts on Socialism versus what Jurgis might have done, because I can not imagine Jurgis preaching at all.

Karen

11/4/2013 10:29:41 am

Really good quote choice! I really loved how you connected it to yourself, and the certain expectation people put on each other, and being let down.

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Sarah Olson

11/4/2013 11:30:35 am

Interesting analysis. A good note on the frustration of authors becoming preachy at the end of their novels. It's their last chance to make their point and it often comes across as too strong or biased.

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Gage Gamboa

11/4/2013 12:40:09 pm

Truly excellent post, Jackson Walker. It is very refreshing to see someone rightfully critique the book with valid insights. I wholeheartedly agree with your post. 10/10, would read again.

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Trevin Kraus

11/4/2013 12:42:27 pm

Great analysis. I have to agree with you regarding the end. Sinclair did seem to abandon the story line a bit and instead incorporate his own ideas of Socialism. I was also a little disappointed with the ending. It seemed to lack that happy fulfilling ending that we all look for in a story.

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Malia M.

11/4/2013 03:51:23 pm

I agree! I almost felt like Sinclair lost all pretenses of fiction and started to directly preach on the good of Socialism. The impact might have been greater if he finished off the story through Jurgis' perspective.

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Sabrina

11/4/2013 09:45:49 am

"Jurgis had noticed that the beautiful young girl who sat by the center-table was listening with something of the same look that he himself had worn, the time when he had first discovered Socialism. Jurgis would have liked to talk to her, he felt sure that she would have understood him." - Chapter 31

HOHAM - Supposition

Here Jurgis mentions that "look" of when one discovers Socialism. What would this look, look like? I think it may be a look of awe or puzzlement. Socialism was such a new idea, and here this girl was eating up the information she heard from these enthusiasts. Perhaps she was wraped up in the promise this new idea showed, but little did she know what a major impact Socialism and this idea of extreme equality would have on the world as we know it. The ideal form of government is a equal balance of Democracy and more Republican ideals (what the USA is striving to have, but no one is perfect). But go to far on either side of the scale, government goes more towards Socialism or Communism, this idea of extreme equality.

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Julz Valencia

11/4/2013 12:02:00 pm

Great analysis. I too am curious as to what this "look" would, well look like.

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Tess Herzog

11/4/2013 03:05:05 pm

Great point about how people react to discovering socialism. It is a totally new idea, and I sometimes forget that when reading this book since it is well-know in this time period.

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Jessica Pollock

11/4/2013 04:24:53 pm

I like the metaphor you used. I also am very curious as to what this "look" would look like?

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Lance Shuler

11/4/2013 09:48:01 am

" We shall bear down the opposition, we shall sweep it before us-and Chicago will be ours! Chicago will be ours! CHICAGO WILL BE OURS!"

Significance: Well, it's been a long journy, and I've enjoyed a lot about this book. What I find significant is jurgis's final choice to become a socialist! Even when he lost everything, and the government was to blame, he was so close to turning to a life of crime. But he changed at the end, and proved that he was better than going to a life of crime! I love the ending quote, as they boast about how they will free chicago from the greedy companies who are driving the people into poor as they stayed rich. It proves that they are stronger than them, and they won't stop till justice is met, and they can finally have better rights as people! And they succeed, and free us from the greedy clutches of the greedy companies! This is what sparks the people to investigate factories, and revolt in real life! This is why we are balanced now, and better...

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Rilind

11/4/2013 11:34:30 am

I too am very proud that he got out of the crime life! I knew he had it deep down in his heart.

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Grady Gumner

11/4/2013 02:27:37 pm

I too found the final bit of the speech very motivational. It came as no surprise to me that Jurgis joined the Socialist party. Throughout the entire book he had been done wrong BECAUSE OF capitalism. Your last point however, saying that we are balanced today, is really wishful and ignorant thinking. Our social class separation is just as bad if not worse than back in the time period when The Jungle was written. I guess capitalism is just ingrained into the American life...

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Hank Sherr

11/4/2013 02:55:39 pm

I like how you said how he changed his life around and what almost got him as a criminal. And how you say what is better than to becoming a criminal and having to try getting away from everything. Instead he does the opposite.

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Tyler Felix

11/4/2013 09:52:59 am

To Jurgis the packers had been equivalent to fate; Ostrinski showed him that they were the Beef Trust. They were a gigantic combination of capital, which had crushed all opposition, and overthrown the laws of the land, and was preying upon the people.

HOHAM: Significance. This quote describes the effect of Jurgis’s discovery on socialism. He considers the capitalists “equivalent to fate,” believing them to be the most successful, and impersonal forces that have total control over his life. But Ostrinski convinces him that the capitalists are corrupt human beings who oppress other human beings. Jurgis realizes here that the only difference between the capitalists and the workers lies in money.

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Andrew Ledezma

11/4/2013 11:50:03 am

I think that it is an extremely significant and even though the paragraph was a bit short, I like the analysis!

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Rachel Deaton

11/4/2013 03:19:22 pm

I agree with you as well! Money is the thing that caused this along with mistreatment. Great post!

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Karen Barragan

11/4/2013 10:28:25 am

Quote:
"First, that a Socialist believes in the common ownership and democratic management of the means of producing the necessities of life; "

Comment:(Connection)
The last few chapters of the book focus mainly on socialism and Jurgis' process of it. Both political and economic practices are portrayed to give the reader a better understanding. When Marija enters the world of prostitution, we see capitalism being shown. Throughout this book, humans are used out until they are useless and able to be thrown away. Human lives are both bought and sold throughout work, even though most wage laborers don't realize it. Towards the end of the book, Jurgis realizes he isn't alone and wants to give the "American Dream" another shot. We can connect Marijas issue in the sense that people will do anything they can in order to get by. Sometimes, people settle for less, because its what they think they deserve. Although Jurgis tried to get Marija out of prostitution several times, its what she put herself through.

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Crystal

11/4/2013 12:22:15 pm

Great analysis of the quote as well as the rest of the chapters, Karen! :) I love how you brought up the pointof Jurgis not being alone and wanting another shot at this infamous "American Dream."

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Lisa Valtierra

11/4/2013 05:33:06 pm

Karen, I like the connections you used within the book to make your point. I also liked how you brought back this whole idea of the "American Dream"

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Meranda Knowles

11/4/2013 10:50:00 am

""I've got work now, and so you can leave here."
But Marija only shook her head. There was nothing else for her to do, she said, and nobody to employ her. She could not keep her past a secret—girls had tried it, and they were always found out. There were thousands of men who came to this place, and sooner or later she would meet one of them. "And besides," Marija added, "I can't do anything. I'm no good—I take dope. What could you do with me?"
"Can't you stop?" Jurgis cried.
"No," she answered, "I'll never stop. What's the use of talking about it—I'll stay here till I die, I guess. It's all I'm fit for." And that was all that he could get her to say—there was no use trying. When he told her he would not let Elzbieta take her money, she answered indifferently: "Then it'll be wasted here—that's all." Her eyelids looked heavy and her face was red and swollen; he saw that he was annoying her, that she only wanted him to go away. So he went, disappointed and sad."

The HOHAM I chose to reflect on is connection. The summer in between ninth and tenth grade I think, my friend, Y(a)sabella and I took a writing class. One of the topics that the teacher covered is that at the end of the book, the problem must be resolved, but the characters are going to change. That was something the teacher really emphasized. What your goal as an author was to try to destroy your character, rip away all they ever had. And then, little by little, you can give them something better in the end. But they would never be the same. And I feel like thats what was happening to the characters in this book, Marija being a good example. She started out as a lovely girl, and the author ripped away her life, little by little. Throwing her into situations like poverty. In the end of the book, where pieces get a little better, she's still a good person, trying to give her money to Elzbieta, but she can never be the same as she was. She is now a prostitute and addicted to drugs. She can't be the same. I really just connected it to the advice I had been given in this class, because I could see the characters in this book being ripped away at until they were nothing. And then little bits of hope came back in the end. But they could still never be the same.

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Cole Sargent

11/4/2013 11:08:07 am

I also realized that the characters were being changed for the worse as the book progressed, though I think, in the end, Jurgis found himself. Great analysis!

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Y(a)sabella Dawson

11/4/2013 01:31:24 pm

I think that you bring up a very good point, although I don't really remember that as much from the class. I definitely remember the teacher telling us how your job as an author is to torture your characters, and take things precious to them away, but you do have to give them back something to fill the void you created by robbing them. But you are right, the characters need to change for the story to move forward.

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Carly

11/4/2013 02:49:38 pm

Sweet real-world connection. I never thought about it, but that is exactly what most authors do to characters. However, I would almost say the conflict is not completely resolved, because Marija is still stuck in the brothel, which is tragic.

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Malia M.

11/4/2013 03:53:58 pm

Great analysis! I agree a great author resolves the problem and changes the characters. I do wish Marija could have gotten a happier ending or at least a chance at hope.

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Cole Sargent

11/4/2013 11:06:24 am

“We shall have the radical Democracy left without a lie with which to cover its nakedness! And then will begin the rush that will never be checked, the tide that will never turn till it has reached its flood—that will be irresistible, overwhelming—the rallying of the outraged workingmen of Chicago to our standard! And we shall organize them, we shall drill them, we shall marshal them for the victory! We shall bear down the opposition, we shall sweep if before us—and Chicago will be ours! Chicago will be ours! CHICAGO WILL BE OURS!” (Sinclair 373). Wow. This book has been an enlightening experience, and I feel like I understand the Progressive Era far better, and from a primary source too. This book has been significant to me because it made me realize that there probably has always been some kind of social struggle in America, and there never really was a time of total and complete prosperity--there was always something wrong, somewhere. It emphasized my belief that the regulations we have on food and drugs today are extremely important, as envisioning any one of the countless, vivid sentences that describe the conditions of the factories or meat disgusts me, and I imagine that if I lived in the 1900s and read this book I would probably projectile vomit multiple times. All in all, though, the book’s been a great experience, and I feel like I’ve learned a lot from it, politically and historically.

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Sarah Olson

11/4/2013 11:29:27 am

Great analysis, I completely agree. The Jungle is a powerful book

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Sarah Olson

11/4/2013 11:27:27 am

"But to you, the workingman, the wage slave, calling with a voice insistent, imperious - with a voice that you cannot escape, wherever upon the earth you might be!...And now a dream of resistance haunts him, hope battling with fear; until suddenly he stirs, and a fetter snaps - and a thrill shoots through him, to the farthest ends of his huge body, and in a flash the dream becomes an act!"

Perspective: I considered this to be one of the most powerful scenes in the book. The perspective of the story overall has come full circle; from innocent marveling at the brand new factory-run world, to the bitter disappointment of realizing how awful the conditions are, to the failed minor revolts, and finally into full blown resistance. Finally, finally, the characters including Jurgis have discovered how to fight the oppression and cruelty they face. The perspective has reached the point in needed to make. Now, it is up to the characters to resolve the problem they find themselves fighting against. I think that is fantastic. They are brave and strong to resist.

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Andrew Ledezma

11/4/2013 11:51:25 am

I love your analysis and I think that you hit the nail right on the head. I love how you analyzed this perspective shift. Great work!

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Rachel Maristela

11/4/2013 03:10:01 pm

I agree for this to be one of the most powerful scenes in the book - finally taking down the cruelty and oppression after so many years. Your thoughts are very well written. Good job! (:

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Jessica Pollock

11/4/2013 04:26:24 pm

I like how you just shared the major themes in this book in one paragraph. It is a great analysis to finish up the book with.

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Anthony Williams

11/4/2013 11:31:25 am

“--So spoke an orator upon the platform; and two thousand pairs of eyes were fixed upon him, and two thousand voices were cheering his every sentence. The orator had been the head of the city's relief bureau in the stockyards, until the sight of misery and corruption had made him sick. He was young, hungry-looking, full of fire; and as he swung his long arms and beat up the crowd, to Jurgis he seemed the very spirit of the revolution.”

Perspective: I chose this passage because it shows a fine example of perspective. It shows how differently things can look when they are looked at from someone else’s point of view, which Jurgis experiences, being involved in the graft himself and in the end turning against it for the greater good of his fellow workingmen

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Rilind

11/4/2013 11:35:35 am

Short but sweet. The book really has shown a lot of different perspectives and this is one of the more interesting ones in my opinion.

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Ryan M.

11/4/2013 11:42:05 am

I completely agree with your analysis. Also I think that getting the viewpoint of Jurgis was indeed very powerful

Rilind

11/4/2013 11:45:54 am

“after Jurgis had made himself more familiar with the Socialist literature, as he would very quickly, he would get glimpses of the Beef Trust from all sorts of aspects”

I chose perspective and unlimited potential for my last RJE tonight. I chose them because I feel like they really tie into each other in this book, especially at the end. Jurgis becomes a socialist, which was a great decision. I was a bit surprised, after all the things he could have against it, but in the end of the day it is for him. His perspective has changed a lot throughout the book, and I think that has changed his lifestyle too-and socialism was just the right thing to pull him out of the disgusting life of crime he was living. I was very proud but the ending was a little bit dry-Upton definitely could have made the ending much better, but the book as a whole was pretty satisfying.

Also I think we should do this same kind of thing for RJE's on our next book :)

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Salina

11/4/2013 01:53:35 pm

I really like how you relate his perspective changing because he became a socialist, I think it was best for him too.

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Andrew Ledezma

11/4/2013 11:47:14 am

“a twinkle would come into his eyes and he would say, "You know what to do about it--vote the Socialist ticket!"

Significance: The significance of this passage and the last sentences of the book is the socialist bias that this book blatantly shows near the end of the book. This explains why the events in the book are so tragic. I believe that the events in the story are directly correlated with this significant bias. This is also a turning point because it is one of the first times that socialism is directly influecning the characters and how they see the world. The significance of this book is that it lead to the Meat Inspection and other sanitary acts, but it never had the effect that Sinclare hoped. He hoped that America would see capitalisms extreme inequality and try to persuade the American public that socialism was the answer.

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Julz Valencia

11/4/2013 11:59:24 am

I agree with you. I also find it ironic that socialism is in fact a major part of this book and the original purpose of the book however it was not recognized for that.

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Hayes Sherr

11/4/2013 03:02:18 pm

I agree, this was the first time socialism was brought on a character and it make the book more interesting once we found out Jurgis was a socialist.

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Julz Valencia

11/4/2013 11:51:06 am

"So, after that, Jurgis was known to his 'boss' as 'Comrade Jurgis,' and in return he was expected to call him 'Comrade Hinds.' " Chapter 30

Significance: I think that this quote is very significant because at this point Hinds has made himself equal to Jurgis, in the form of tittles. Hinds does not seem to find himself superior to Jurgis giving himself a higher tittle or anything of the sort. It appears as if hinds has set himself on an equal level with Jusgis. This is really significant because this man is his boss, however he seems to be saying that he is no better than Jurgis and is equal to him. This is a very powerful and meaningful thing to do for someone in a position of power. However he takes the initiative and trays Jurgis properly and treats him the same as himself and the refer to each other with mutual tittles of "Comrade".

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Julz Valencia

11/4/2013 11:53:06 am

treats*

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Gage Gamboa

11/4/2013 12:37:23 pm

Great post! Wonderful observation on the significance of Jurgis's employer treating him with an equal respect.

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Meilani

11/4/2013 02:06:31 pm

Love your quote, and I also thought that this was an interesting contrast to his experience in the meat houses.

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Tess Herzog

11/4/2013 03:02:41 pm

So true about equality... It is a first for Jurgis to have a boss be equal rather than take advantage of him.

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Ryan M.

11/4/2013 12:01:56 pm

"In a society dominated by the fact of commercial competition, money is necessarily the test of prowess, and wastefulness the sole criterion of power." Chapter 31
For this I choose perspective, because I put into perspective of a society that is based on commercial competition like the quote explains. In my personal opinion I think that a society that is based on commercial competition can possibly be a good formula for a successful society.

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Sophia C.

11/4/2013 12:17:20 pm

I sort of agree with your sentiment although I think it could easily be corrupted still.

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Preston Royal

11/4/2013 02:01:14 pm

Good job Ryan M.! I think that the quote you choose was very good and was a significant part of the last chapter. Though these responses are over now, next time try and add more length and really elaborate on the point you wish to make! Good job bro!

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Sophia C.

11/4/2013 12:16:05 pm

"He had been torn out of the jaws of destruction, he had been delivered from the thraldom of despair; the whole world had been changed for him--he was free, he was free!"

The HOHAM I chose for this quote was supposition because Jurgis is supposing that just by this act, by this feeling, he can turn his life completely around. When I read this I wasn't, however, filled with a sense of happiness for Jurgis, I more felt melancholy. I felt that because I can't keep the nagging suspicion out of the back of my mind that no matter what he does, he can never escape the fate he, and the world, gave him(self). I truly hope he can and I want to be confident that he will, but knowing all the times he worked so hard for naught in the past brings me to believe that things will never get better for Jurgis, even if he helps bring about a better time.

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Crystal

11/4/2013 12:19:14 pm

I love the quote you chose for you analysis. I agree with your feeling for Jurgis that isn't complete joy for him, there is an underlying tone of sadness that cannot quite be ignored. :)

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Erik Salazar

11/4/2013 02:41:40 pm

I feel the exact same about the ending for Jurgis. He may end on a positive note but nothing can change what he went through.

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Justin Walker

11/4/2013 03:21:43 pm

What a captivating quote choice! The points you raise are well-defended and your unorthodox reaction to a supposedly joyous moment exemplifies a scholarly mindset, i.e. viewing a supposedly invariable segment under a different context. Great job.

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Crystal Delgado

11/4/2013 12:17:13 pm

"And we shall organize them for the victory! We shall bear down the opposition, we shall sweep it before us- and Chicago will be ours! Chicago will be ours! Chicago will be ours!"

Connection: In the final moments in the book, you can feel the volcanic emotion pent up from these people finally erupting into the sky. These people will cover Chicago and take it as their own like the spread of volcanic ash. These men are on their way to claim the one thing that is rightfully theirs, Chicago, and nothing will hold them back. This quote may be overused in the analysis of the final chapters, but I do believe it is one that best fits the overall themes of the text. These men, over 2,000 of them are finally able to band together and form this group that will make Chicago what they want it to be through their work and their ideas, not dirty politicians. You can connect these ideas to modern day movements. People vote now and their isn't much bribing (not that I'm aware of, at least) in the voting system so you know you are hearing the voice of the people when things are passed and representatives are elected. The people make the state what they want with limited corruption/

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Ysabella Dawson

11/4/2013 01:27:23 pm

I think that what you say here is very descriptive of the scene at hand. They worked so hard and fought so much for their freedom, and now that fighting spirit is rearing up as they are ready to take the city for their own and end the corruption.

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Trey Lewis

11/4/2013 12:21:48 pm

Quote: "The Book"
Unlimited Potential- This book has been crazy throughout. Form cover to cover I have been feeling 100 different emotions. I can't imagine anyone writing this book let alone someone going through it. I chose unlimited potential because I thought the author, Upton Sinclair, thought unlimited thoughts when writing this book. I, at first, thought that his writing was fake. I thought this was just an author that had a big imagination and lots of time. After reading a learning more about the time period I realized that this was all true and that changed my whole perspective. I then thought the corrupt people in the high positions amongst the city had unlimited potential. To think of all these awful ways to treat the lower class, all to save their money. I realize that this isn't the way unlimited potential is normally used, although I wanted to find a creative way to wrap up the book by showing the main theme that I picked up on.

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Erik Salazar

11/4/2013 02:45:10 pm

Very powerful quote but I can agree on not taking this book as serious as I should have then discovering the truth inside of it.

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Gage Gamboa

11/4/2013 12:32:36 pm

“That he had a score of socialist arguments chasing through his brain in the meantime did not interfere with this; in the contrary, Jurgis scrubbed the spittoons and polished the banisters all the more vehemently because at the same time he was wrestling inwardly with an imaginary recalcitrant.” Page 334 (Barnes & Noble Classics Edition), Chapter 30.
Significance: First off, I think that in this section of the book Jurgis experienced a great turning point in his life. Up until this point, Jurgis had faced innumerable hardships and often had difficulty finding the motivation to move forward in life. Jurgis’s involvement in the socialist party had given his life new meaning. The significance of his belief in socialist ideals was enormous. It inspired many aspects of his life. Something that I recall from the reading was a quote along the lines of how socialists differed from every other man in their possession of hope. I think that that line signifies socialism’s impact on Jurgis, it brought hope into his life.

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Trevin Kraus

11/4/2013 12:37:59 pm

I agree with you 100%. It is finally nice to see true happiness in this story. For the most part the story has been very negative and Jurgis had been put through a great deal. It is nice to see a little hope brought into his life.

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Preston

11/4/2013 01:57:27 pm

Great job Gage! I think that the way you said this was spot on and I couldn't have said it better myself! I think that this was indeed a turning point, but I think this was more of a patch over Jurgis's broken life, than a heal of his wound. Overall though, AWESOME JOB BRO!

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Trevin Kraus

11/4/2013 12:35:12 pm

Quote:"And we shall organize them for the victory! We shall bear down the opposition, we shall sweep it before us-and Chicago will be ours! Chicago will be ours! CHICAGO WILL BE OURS!"

Significance: We have finally reached the end. Family members have perished and so has the spirits of others. Jurgis has been on a long agonizing trail to freedom. He arrived in America with his family to fulfill the American dream. Along the way Jurgis realized that the American dream isn't what it is preached back home and has been on the edge of death a number of times. From the blood stained floors of packing town to the fertile fields of the countryside Jurgis has been able to gain a new perspective on life and reorganize his goals in life. I think this quote is significant because it does an excellent job summarizing all of who Jurgis is and all he wants to be. He has struggled so much throughout the duration of his time in America it is nice to finally see that Jugris has figured our what he wants to do and what makes him happy.

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Alex Demos

11/4/2013 01:46:05 pm

My summary was quite similar to yours. The end of the book definitely does represent a major change within the events that have taken place from beginning to end.

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Adrian Schnepp

11/4/2013 12:53:59 pm

"And then will begin the rush that will never be checked, the tide that will never turn till it has reached its flood--that will be irresistible, overwhelming--the rallying of the outraged workingmen of Chicago to our standard! And we shall organize them, we shall drill them, we shall marshal them for the victory! We shall bear down the opposition, we shall sweep if before us--and Chicago will be ours! Chicago will be ours! CHICAGO WILL BE OURS!"

The book, overall, was a study in the limits of human psyche and an exploration of the carnage of capitalism. Throughout the book, a balance was maintained between the personal story of Jurgis and the review of American enterprise and society as a whole. But it is here, at the end of those things, where those two things truly become one, it is here where the real message is heard, the one we are supposed to take away. It is significance that most definitely represents this quotation, it it that beautiful ideal of the power to the people, of the common man taking his destiny into his own hands. It is that raw and primeval struggle for equality, for fairness and decency, for the most basic rights of man. For once the floodgates open, once the man has been empowered, once he realizes his potential and the change that may be wrought with naught but his own two hands, is the real power of humanity realized. When the working man strikes a blow for change, when he strives for a society dictated by brotherhood and decency, when the cry of the people is heard in all corners of the earth and the turn of the tide brings the wind of change with it, then, the new sun will rise and bless all that it touches. Then, perhaps, we may have peace.

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Jessica

11/4/2013 02:53:22 pm

The way you analyzed this quote was PERFECTION and pulled together the collection of our reading journals nicely! I completely agree with everything you are saying and you wrote this all very beautifully! Muy Bien!

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Chris Bargman

11/4/2013 01:04:09 pm

"The senator had been denying that the Democratic party was corrupt; it was always the Republicans who bought the votes, he said--and here was Jurgis shouting furiously, "It's a lie! It's a lie!" After which he went on to tell them how he knew it--that he knew it because he had bought them himself!:"

As the book reaches its end Jurgis becomes more and more this sort of character that craves change and will do whatever it takes to get it. The HOHAM that I chose to connect this with is integrity. As Jurgis becomes this character he sheds his old beliefs of America and its systems and government and finally becomes the person who sticks up for his own beliefs.

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Salina

11/4/2013 01:51:05 pm

I completely agree, and like that you connected it to Jurgis having integrity.

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Max Klein

11/4/2013 01:19:29 pm

“A twinkle would come into his eyes and he would say, "You know what to do about it--vote the Socialist ticket!"

Perspective/Significance: I found the ending of this book a little strange, I was expecting some sort of closure, some sort of explanation. Instead, I feel Sinclair rushed into this idea of "preaching" his socialist views. He chose to pretty much explain the basic foundation of socialism to the reader, leaving the journey Jurgis has been through behind as if it was nothing. My perspective on the book changed at this point because I realized Sinclair wrote the book with the intentions to convince the world to believe in socialism. I have been hearing people talk about that in class but it was never as obvious to me as it was in the last few chapters. It felt like I was reading a whole different book.

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Alex Demos

11/4/2013 01:50:16 pm

I find your analysis interesting. You believe that he rushed his closing, whereas he could have instead opened up his perspective with a more in-depth look, resulting with just a couple more chapters or so. What do you believe he could have added?

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Ysabella Dawson

11/4/2013 01:25:23 pm

“... a hog was just what he had been- one of the packers' hogs. What they wanted from a hog was all the profits that could be got out of him; and that was what they wanted from the working-man, and also that was what they wanted from the public. What the hog thought of it, and what he suffered, were not considered; and no more was it with labor, and no more with the purchaser of meat. That was true everywhere in the world, but it was especially true in Packingtown...”

Perspective: As Jurgis has progressed throughout the four years of his life in Chicago, he has faced many hardships and struggles, and each time he was beaten to the ground by the big bad wolf that was society, he gained a new perspective on how the world works. In this instance, after he has lost his wife, his child, all of the jobs he has had, and the friends in high places that had given him some financial gain, he gained a new view of Capitalism in Chicago. With the laborers of Packingtown, just as the packers use every part of the pig except the squeal, the packers work the impoverished laborers at faster and more dangerous paces, ever increasing until the laborer cannot take any more. And even if one man is maimed in an accident that could have easily been prevented, or worked to sickness and exhaustion until he can work no more, there are always hundreds of fresh men waiting to be bled dry as the cycle begins again.

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Carly

11/4/2013 02:46:20 pm

Awesome connection. I think you just perfectly illustrated the point of the book(the one that Sinclair intended). The packers treat their employees no better than the animals they slaughter.

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Alex Demos

11/4/2013 01:37:33 pm

"So one by one the old, dingy, and unsanitary factories will come down -- it will be cheaper to build new; and so the steamships will be provided with stoking machinery, and so the dangerous trades will be made safe, or substitutes will be found for their products."

HOHAM: Significance

I found this quote significant because it represents the major turn of events that is found within the text. After everything Jurgis and his family have been through, one would stop to think how they were able to make it past the impossible conditions that were set forth for each individual. Jurgis had the economic downfall hit him the most, resulting in loss of not only his job or jobs, but the deaths of his family and close relatives. Now, because he joined a political party that he supports and isn't only in it for the money, he is finally getting what he wants and is fixing what shouldn't have been allowed in the first place.

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Salina

11/4/2013 01:49:40 pm

"So, after that, Jurgis was known to his "boss" as "Comrade Jurgis,""- chapter 30

Connection: With coming to the end of the book its great to see that Jurgis has finally found his place. The Socialism group is exactly what Jurgis needs, he has found something he is passionate about, he connects with everything they are saying. You can see throughout the last chapters that Jurgis has found somewhere to belong, he loves preaching and discussing socialism with others. Everyone has had this connection to their personal life sometime. Its that wonderful moment when you find the exact thing that you relate to and connect with in every way. You can't help your self but tell everyone, you never stop talking and believing in it because you feel so passionate. This I think is how Jurgis feels, and we all have felt this too.

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Preston Royal

11/4/2013 01:55:02 pm

“And besides," Marija added, "I can't do anything. I'm no good—I take dope. What could you do with me?"
"Can't you stop?" Jurgis cried.
"No," she answered, "I'll never stop. What's the use of talking about it—I'll stay here till I die, I guess. It's all I'm fit for.”

Perspective: I think I choose perspective because I don't think people are looking at Marija's situation the way she is and how tragic it really is. She's a prostitute! No good way to say it! No girls dream is to be a prostitute, and Marija can't look at in the sense that she can bounce back, because she really can't. To make it worse she's addicted to dope (which I have clarified in this time period is Morphine). Her life is headed downward with no signs of turning around. I think that Jurgis just need to look at things from her perspective. Jurgis has been able to change his lifestyle so many times and change his job, while Marija has no choice, which in this moment I think Jurgis should have accepted it.

(This was in Chapter 31, which I am not sure we were suppose to get to but I did found this very important.)

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Meilani

11/4/2013 02:04:49 pm

"…nothing would be the same to him; he would understand it, and bear it. He would no longer be the sport of circumstances, he would be a man, with a will and a purpose…"

Significance: After hearing his first socialist speech, Jurgis seems to finally become enlightened. Through this he enters a group that understands what he has faced and is looking to abolish the ills of the government that has caused him to face these things. By entering the socialism movement, he find something he believes and understands with passion as he finds something to fill himself with the void his family left. Here, he feels kinship with his many 'comrades' as the book ends with a victorious note of the increase in socialism votes, though I've always thought that the ending was disappointing in contrast with the intense story. I suppose its a significant end because Jurgis is no longer fighting for a person, such as his wife or himself, but for a belief which can transcends lives and still remain relevant.

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Jake Little

11/4/2013 02:23:46 pm

I agree, Jurgis now has a 'hobby' or just something that takes his mind off of things. He now has become enlightened and is part of a group of comrades that all believe in the same ideas and can connect to one another. This is exactly what Jurgis needed in is life to fill in the gaps and forget the bad things from the past. Very good point

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Jake Little

11/4/2013 02:18:12 pm

"A wonderfully wise little woman was Elzbieta; she could think as quickly as a hunted rabbit, and in half an hour she had chosen her life-attitude to the Socialist movement. She agreed in everything with Jurgis, except the need of his paying his dues; and she would even go to a meeting with him now and then, and sit and plan her next day's dinner amid the storm."

Significance: I think that this part in the book is very significant. Jugis is just starting to get into this socialist moment and he needs support from someone he knows and cares about. Although Teta Elzibieta was a very strong woman and stuck to her opinions, she still listened to what Jurgis was saying and eventually understood his point. With Elzibieta's support Jurgis can now be more happy with what he believes and he now has a loved one there for him that believes the same ideas he has. This is also important because now Jurgis knows that he is able to spread the word of socialist ideas. If Jurgis was able to convince a woman like Elzibieta, he can convince anyone that socialist is good, and capitalist government is not.

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Katie

11/4/2013 02:19:06 pm

“The price is the labor it has cost to make and deliver it, and it is determined by the first principles of arithmetic. The million workers in the nation's wheat fields have worked a hundred days each, and the total product of the labor is a billion bushels, so the value of a bushel of wheat is the tenth part of a farm labor-day. If we employ an arbitrary symbol, and pay, say, five dollars a day for farm work, then the cost of a bushel of wheat is fifty cents.”

Significance:
It is at this point in the book where we really see the state of the world because the information Jurgis is presenting about working conditions in the packing houses is surprising to them. This quote here Shows the stark difference seen between factory workers and those on farms. There is a quote just below it where someone asks if this really is how large of a difference as he makes it out to be and that is what I find to be so significant about this quote because people really didn't know how drastic of a difference existed between poor and middle class.

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Jordan Garcia

11/4/2013 02:21:02 pm

And then will begin the rush that will never be checked, the tide that will never turn till it has reached its flood--that will be irresistible, overwhelming--the rallying of the outraged workingmen of Chicago to our standard! And we shall organize them, we shall drill them, we shall marshal them for the victory! We shall bear down the opposition, we shall sweep if before us--and Chicago will be ours! Chicago will be ours! CHICAGO WILL BE OURS!

In a way, the ending of this book shows all five habits of heart. If Jurgis never visited Elzbieta, he would have never come across the political party that changes his life. Jurgis shows a perfect example of intellectual curiosity when he enters the socialist meeting that pertains to his experiences. He shows self advocacy and integrity when he joins the party and tries to persuade people to socialism along with Elzbieta. This is important because it is something that could fix the problems for all the men that have been in the situation that Jurgis was once in. He also finds a job at a hotel that he is able to make good pay. In the current environment that Jurgis is in, he will need cooperation and unlimited potential to continue with his Journey on taking Chicago for his own along with the Political party he supports.

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Grady Gumner

11/4/2013 02:24:02 pm

Props to you for observing the final speech in such depth. Reading about all of the different connections you saw made me think of the final speech a little differently and more in-depth.

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Jessica

11/4/2013 02:58:12 pm

I love how you analyzed this deeply to bring the book to a good close. If you would have touched briefly on the other habits that would have been great just because you said they all connected and I'm curious as to how you think they would connect!

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Grady Gumner

11/4/2013 02:22:15 pm

Quote: "'This election will pass, and the excitement will die, and people will forget about it; and if you forget about it too, if you sink back and rest upon your ears, we shall lose this vote that we have polled today, and our enemies will laugh us to scorn! It rests with you to take your resolution ..." (Sinclair 413)

Significance: Sinclair's views on socialism and the evils of capitalism were beautifully summed up in this final speech. The speech acted as a motivational bit for the reader to go out and advocate for socialism and all the benefits that would be brought from it. I still have yet to understand how readers could look past this large message and focus in on something as minuscule as meatpacking. For me, the meatpacking bit of the story was something that happened and passed and didn't strike me as anything too significant. Throughout the story I continually observed and recognized the socialist messages that Upton Sinclair was trying to get across. This is what stuck with me once I had finished the story, not the cruelties of meatpacking. If people with advanced comprehensions of literature had read this book in larger numbers back when it was published, there is no saying where socialism would be in our society today.

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Jake Little

11/4/2013 02:44:45 pm

Very good point. I think that Siniclar's way of writing make us readers want to support the ideas of socialism, and he does it just by describing the bad things about meatpacking back then. Very bizarre how his writing makes such an impact on us readers.

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John

11/4/2013 02:42:08 pm

"He was no longer shy about it--when he went in, instead of saying all the things he had been planning to say, he started to tell Elzbieta about the revolution!"

Perspective: It seems that jurguis has been introduced to a new idea. Socialism has changed his perspective of his world. Before he learned about this form of government he didn't care about politics. He would let his vote be persuaded by politicians that buy votes.Now he is talking about starting a revolution for the socialist party. He is at the point of his life were he is making it. He has a nice paying job and is back with the family he has left. In the end the socialist party is a big part not only to jurguis but to the whole country.

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Hank Sherr

11/4/2013 02:50:23 pm

I like how you talked about how he is pretty much starting over, and making a new part of his life. Everything has finally clicked back together.

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Carly

11/4/2013 02:44:06 pm

"That was always the way, said Ostrinski; when a man was first converted to Socialism he was like a crazy person--he could not' understand how others could fail to see it, and he expected to convert all the world the first week. After a while he would realize how hard a task it was; and then it would be fortunate that other new hands kept coming, to save him from settling down into a rut."

Once again, I find it interesting how people's perspectives can change over time. When people discover a new idea, they are ecstatic about it. It could be anything, it doesn't even have to be an idea. When you find something completely new, and it is able to change the way you view the world, you get excited. That is how Jurgis is acting now. Then, later on, after it has sunk it, you get less and less excited about it. You don't really care anymore, and when someone else discovers it anew, they act just like you did, full of amazement. I never thought about it, but everyone's gone through this cycle hundreds of times, from everything from math concepts to finally understanding a logo. For just a little while, it feels awesome. That is what Jurgis is feeling at this point in the book. He just found something that changed his entire world view, so he is ridiculously excited. Ostrinski, on the other hand, has known about Socialism for a while now, so he isn't jump-up-and-down excited about it.

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Xochitl Aguinaga

11/4/2013 03:15:05 pm

Great insight, I definitly agree that there is always an initial excitement when finding out something new.

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Hank Sherr

11/4/2013 02:44:59 pm

Quote: "What they wanted from a hog was all the profits that could be got out of him; and that was what they wanted from the workingman, and also that was what they wanted from the public."

HOHAM: I can connect with this because a lot of people think of other people as someone good, even when it is the opposite thing. Like how Jurgis was saying when he first came to packingtown, He watched the hog killing and thought to himself how cruel and savage it was to be killing the animals. He realizes that this whole time he has been acting like one of the packers hogs. He notices that they wanted as much profit as they can get out of the hog, and they were doing the same with the workingman. They also wanted it from the public. A lot of the times we probably don't realize what Jurgis discovered.

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Rachel Deaton

11/4/2013 03:17:30 pm

Nice post Hank! I agree with you! Jurgis saw a lot and how similarly the hogs and people were treated.

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Ryan Novak

11/4/2013 02:48:58 pm

"…nothing would be the same to him; he would understand it, and bear it. He would no longer be the sport of circumstances, he would be a man, with a will and a purpose…"

I think this quote represents evidence in that this is the evidence that Sinclair presents as to why socialism is the answer to the immigrants sad conundrum. Jurgis's struggles were more than just a depressing story, they were meant to put a face to the very same struggles that occur throughout the US. He also identifies the primary perpetrator behind these issues, capitalism. But the last three chapters serve as Sinclair providing his answer, Socialism. Sinclair in essensce drops the whole story to convey his true meaning behind it. Sadly the last few characters presented are little more than vehicles for him to preach socialism. I believe that Sinclair's evidence presented throughout the book about the horrors of meat packing in America are extremely valuable as they provided real hard facts about how unsanitary the conditions were, and because of this they had real life results. But his overall commentary on politics were not received well for good reason. He didn't really base much on fact, instead almost completely off of his personal opinion. It was a great read up until the last few chapters when Sinclair stopped telling an actual story, and instead gave some twisted, propoganda laced version of one.

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Jessica Boensch

11/4/2013 02:49:40 pm

"The working-man was to fix his hopes upon a future life, while his pockets were picked in this one; he was brought up to frugality, humility, obedience--in short to all the pseudo-virtues of capitalism. The destiny of civilization would be decided in one final death struggle between the Red International and the Black, between Socialism and the Roman Catholic Church..."

The HOHAM that I chose to represent through this quote was significance as I think it will wrap up our readings nicely! The significance of this is basically summarizing and, in his own way, blatantly stating the reason for which he wrote this text which was to spread the ideals of socialism. In this quote Sinclair describes the average socialist in crude terms, "brought up to frugality, humility, obedience..." these are the main virtues of capitalism and these are what the future of America will be faced with if (and as we know, when) Capitalism wins the "war" agains Socialism.

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Hayes Sherr

11/4/2013 02:58:46 pm

I really like how you reflected on socialism and the use that Sinclair describes.

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Rachel Maristela

11/4/2013 03:13:24 pm

I agree! I like how you explained capitalism vs socialism very well.

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Hayes Sherr

11/4/2013 02:53:48 pm

"We shall have the sham reformers self-stultified and self-convicted; we shall have the radical Democracy left without a lie with which to cover its nakedness! And then will begin the rush that will never be checked, the tide that will never turn till it has reached its flood—that will be irresistible, overwhelming—the rallying of the outraged workingmen of Chicago to our standard! And we shall organize them, we shall drill them, we shall marshal them for the victory! We shall bear down the opposition, we shall sweep if before us—and Chicago will be ours! Chicago will be ours! CHICAGO WILL BE OURS!”
This quote was really long but it meant so much to the end of the book. I chose significance because it has to do a lot with Jurgis and his whole experience with moving to America. Jurgis was starting to give up in being the good guy and started becoming the bad guy. He showed everyone that he wasn't going to be like that anymore and changed his life around and ended up becoming a socialist. This quote again really shows how strong Jurgis was through the whole story allowing Jurgis to have a good future one day.

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Tess Herzog

11/4/2013 03:01:31 pm

“He would no longer be the sport of circumstances, he would be a man with a will and a purpose; he would have something to fight for, something to die for, if need be!”

Unlimited Potential: At this point, Jurgis’s support for the socialist party has really started. The point in life he was at was terrible, and this gave him something new to live for and support. He has the potential to take his views as far as he pleases, and Sinclair expresses these views through writing the Jungle, using a story to lead up to the last chapters where he fully advocates for socialism. Jurgis’s life’s mission has changed now because of what he believes in. He is no longer just trying to make it to the next day, but rather living with purpose, trying to get the socialist party in power. He had heard a speaker talk about it, and now wanted to know anything and everything he could about it.The book really had no ending. Nothing was finished off. It was just a lot of talk about socialism.

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Rachel Maristela

11/4/2013 03:06:12 pm

"Yet when he had thought of all the humanity that was vile and hideous, he had somehow always excepted his own family that he had loved."

Significance: This quote is significant because this is when Jurgis realizes how much he had push away his family during the hard times they were going through. When they suffered deaths and financial stuff, Jurgis just wasted everything. Now, Jurgis realizes how much he had let them down, how much they had suffer while he was away, and how much he has hurt them as well. Now they all lead different lives, and it surprises Jurgis. What is heartbreaking is that Jurgis can't take back his mistakes in the past and try to have a better life.

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Erik Salazar

11/4/2013 03:06:29 pm

"So long as we have wage slavery," answered Schliemann, "it matters not in the least how debasing and repulsive a task may be, it is easy to find people to perform it. But just as soon as labor is set free, then the price of such work will begin to rise."

Nothing sums up this book better than this quote. The book was written to inform people about the treatment and working conditions for many Americans and immigrants. Yes the meat packing was an awful subject but the bigger picture was about life and the struggles getting through it. This quote signifies unlimited potential. Potential that can and did change the US from a society profiteering off cheap labor to the Great Country it is today. Yes there are flaws in our current society just like any other but when we begin to look out for our neighbors, then we truly become a perfect society.

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Rachel Deaton

11/4/2013 03:15:59 pm

"He had been torn out of the jaws of destruction, he had been delivered from the thraldom of despair; the whole world had been changed for him--he was free, he was free!" Chapter 29.

I choose Unlimited Potential for my final journal entry. This quote brought my spirits up. I had almost given up on Jurgis. I thought that he gave up. But this character has always been strong. Yes, he did lose a lot but look where he is now! He is part of a socialism movement. He finally was free and knew what he could do for the working people. Jurgis has always been strong from the beginning. He was never completely empty of his strength. He had many ups and downs but he never let go of hope. I am so proud of Jurgis for fighting for what he believes in. I believe that if someone wants something to change, they should fight. Even trying can make a huge impact on yourself and the people around you. He wants to change working treatments so that his people are mistreated. Though, I am extremely sad that the book is over. I want to read more! Jurgis was such a spirited character. He did do some stupid things in the past but he has learned from them. He knows so much more now since he went through all that pain and suffering. He is learning the English language and reading books! Jurgis has come so far and has finally found what he was destined to do. I was really impressed at how politically involved Jurgis was. That was a fantastic choice for him to make because he could make a difference in the world. He wouldn't just be sitting on the sidelines. He would be playing the game. Overall, this book has changed my perspective on life and my stomach. I see life differently now because I look more deeply into real life issues and what I can do to change it if I can. I think our appetites have changed as well. I am eating less meat now. Jurgis is my favorite book character because he should so much potential in his life in America. He knew he had to keep going and he did. Most people would have given up after all the misfortunes if they were in his place. I do not regret reading this book. I know that I will read it again and again just to relive Jurgis' strongest moment of hope.

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Lisa Valtierra

11/4/2013 05:31:28 pm

Rachel, I love how you always give insight into what you're thinking and it makes it easier to see what you're picturing and seeing and thinking. Good job!

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Justin Walker

11/4/2013 03:16:56 pm

"The whole balance of what the people produced went to heap the fortunes of these capitalists, to heap, and heap again, and yet again--and that in spite of the fact that they, and every one of them, lived in complete luxury!"

This quote is a true representative of Significance, for it shows the American system which Jurgis has been thrust into. It is common knowledge that Jurgis was ignorant to the American capitalist system when he first arrives in America, resulting in his downfall and transformation from a cog in the machine to an empowered, Socialist individual. With the idea of Socialism, this system holding millions of immigrants like Jurgis would be shattered, allowing for a true construction of the American dream. Socialism is comparable to the Emancipation Proclamation; the Proclamation set millions of blacks free to at least attempt to eke out a living with no masters. Socialism would free the new immigrants to live their lives as they were promised when they came to the United States. Even though Upton Sinclair was somewhat disappointed at how the readers of his book (at the time) were more interested in the corrupt meat industry than his socialist motif, it is doubtless that The Jungle's perspective on the corrupt United States of the 1910s is from an entirely Socialist standpoint.

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Malia M.

11/4/2013 03:49:45 pm

"For this reason I would serious maintain that all medical and surgical discoveries that science can make in the future will be of less importance than the application of the knowledge we already possess, when the disinherited of the earth have established their right to human existence."

For this HOHAM I chose perspective because this quote represents the perspective of many socialists. No, this is definitely not any central dogma of socialism but I think this idea is important. Here Schliemann is reasserting that there is enough for everyone. There is enough food, shelter, love, technology, and space for everyone on this planet if we learned to share. I believe it is important to empower the disinherited through sharing and spreading the wealth. Socialists believed the only way to effectively share was through political enforcement. At the same time this quote shows the argument that many socialist critics claimed, that socialism would stop individual motivation and progress. I liked this quote because it represented multiple perspectives on socialism.

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Xochitl Aguinaga

11/4/2013 03:57:10 pm

I like how you took this quote and applied it to Socialism as a whole.

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Xochitl Aguinaga

11/4/2013 03:53:04 pm

Reading log # 7

“...he had not wept, and he would not... It was past and over, and he was done with it... It should go like a black, hateful nightmare, and in the morning he would be a new man.”

Significance: I find Jurgis’ reaction to Antanas’s death to be the most significant in this chapter.Unlike most situations where Jurgis has trouble controlling his emotions, in this case he quickly brushed the death of Anatnas aside and decides to flee.It is easy to empathisze with Jurgis leaving his family because we are able to see the tragedies he has been handed, the misfortune in Jurgis’ life is built up to such a point, that the death of his own son is almost anticipated by him. Along with witnessing Jurgis hardships, we also see his character change. With the introduction of this “new man”, Jurgis seems to adopt a capitalistic attitude of “every man for himself”, I believe Sinclair uses this to show a divide between family loyalty and capitalism.

Reading log # 8

“...But he stuck by the family nevertheless, for they reminded him of his old happiness;...”

Perspective: Something I hadn’t fully taken notice of before, was the value Sinclair put on the family, he could have just as easily proved his point with Jurgis as his sole character, but he chose not to. I believe the importance and sacredness of family is what Sinclair emphasizes to resonate with his audience.Throughout the Jungle “the family” is the driving force for these characters--protecting and providing for one another. The family is thrown into ruin with their capitalist environment, and along the way they lose touch with one another and eventually depart. The reader is left with the longing to preserve the fragile existence of this family that has been torn apart by many opposing forces. In the same light, no one would wish the same to happen to their family--The Jungle offers a cautionary tale about the importance of family.

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Halee Robinson

11/4/2013 11:30:37 pm

This is a really interesting way to see things. I never realized the value of the family either, although i think its more than just Sinclairs familial value. The family, in the first half of the book, acted mostly as a way to push Jurgis towards his fate; him needing to support a family, Ona and Jurgis's child's death, et cetera.

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Jessica Pollock

11/4/2013 04:22:48 pm

"We shall bear down the opposition, we shall sweep if before us--and Chicago will be ours! Chicago will be ours! CHICAGO WILL BE OURS!"

This line is significant because, well, it is the last line of the book. This line wraps up the whole book and brings The Jungle to an end. This ending was surprising to me. The ending didn't mention much about Jurgis or his family it was more about preaching and the authors ideas on socialism. I would like to have read more about Jurgis rather than such an abrupt ending. I wonder why the topic of the book changed so fast and the author sort of forgot about Jurgis. Maybe the ending was a way to get the authors ideas out to public without using anyone of the characters. Maybe all the things the speaker was saying is what the author believes in and supports.

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Paris Gramann

11/4/2013 10:05:16 pm

Jessica, I definitely think you hit the nail on the head with your thoughts here. I remember Mrs. Clark saying that Sinclair wrote this book for Socialism and to get his ideas out. Instead, the public focused on his food/ working descriptions.

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Abby Thompson

11/4/2013 04:31:13 pm

"No matter how poor a man was, or how much he suffered, he could never be really unhappy while he knew of that future; even if he did not live to see it himself, his children would, and, to a Socialist, the victory of his class was his victory."

Significance, Unlimited Potential: This isn't really a quote that focuses on anyone in the story really, but I think it really captured a lot of what people were fighting for. Yes, a lot of people were dying, poor, and had to work terrible working conditions, but there were also a lot of "fights" as well to try making things better. Like the quote said, no matter how much everyone was suffering at that point in time, they were also working to make a difference/change society and even if in the end they wouldn't see the change in their own lifetime, the future generations would and it would help the future in the end.

"...And we shall organize them, we shall drill them, we shall marshal them for the victory! We shall bear down the opposition, we shall sweep it before us-- and Chicago will be ours! Chicago will be ours! CHICAGO WILL BE OURS!"

I thought this quote was an interesting ending for the book that really showed the emotion / atmosphere of it all, but then in the endnotes, I read that in the original book of The Jungle, before the author edited it out:
"All of which was at one o'clock on the morning of the day after election; and at one o'clock of the afternoon of the same day Jurgis was handcuffed to a detective, and on his way to serve a two-years' sentence in a state's prison for assault with intent to kill."

Yeah, this final paragraph was never included in the final book, but it's pretty weird. I'm not sure if it's meant in a literal sense, but if it is, I think Jurgis / the other Socialists at this moment in time got a bit too violent/excited about the whole thing. I sort of wish this was in the final copy of the book.

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John Laine

11/4/2013 04:39:40 pm

“Hinds's hotel was a very hot-bed of the propaganda; all the employees were party men, and if they were not when they came, they were quite certain to be before they went away. The proprietor would get into a discussion with some one in the lobby, and as the conversation grew animated, others would gather about to listen, until finally every one in the place would be crowded into a group, and a regular debate would be under way.”

I found this quote very interesting because it was describing what Upton's life would be like. Were when they were normally easy going had found serious things to discus about and to debate over. Even though there was no muck rakers convention back then were people could gather and just debate over controversial issues but this is the struggle in the mind when before you did not even know that. This quote showed the struggle of the writer and how he had some doubts of this story and if the facts were correct but all the evidence showed that this was right. Even if that debate continued.

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Halee Robinson

11/4/2013 11:34:07 pm

Is your HOHAM connection?
It's really intriguing that you pulled that out of the quote. I never thought about Sinclair including and writing about his own experiences.

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Chelsea

11/4/2013 04:46:23 pm

"But he stuck by the family nevertheless, for they reminded him of his old happiness; and when things went wrong he could solace himself with a plunge into the Socialist movement."

Significance: Elizabeth and her family are in a situation like the one Jurgis was in before, struggling. I feel that Jurgis understands what it was like to be living through this type of situation, which is why he wants to stick with the family, despite their circumstances. Jurgis was able to pick himself up from the life he once had, to a life he currently has and seems to be enjoying. I think it's important to remember to always love and be willing to help others, especially if you know what it's like to be their situation. Instead of just watching them suffering, help them out since you've been in their shoes and understand. I feel that Jurigs is going to be the one who will help Elizabeth and her family pick themselves back up.

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Paris Gramann

11/4/2013 10:09:19 pm

I like what you are saying about helping others especially when you have been through what they are going through. I think that a lot of people can be the happiest when they are helping others. Also, I think this line sums up Jurgis solution to the problems he has been trying to face for the last few chapters. He now has a way to mend his broken heart -- to fill it with good things.

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Sabrina

11/5/2013 02:33:40 am

I really enjoyed your personal connection with this text. I love how you think it is important to love and help others, this is becoming more and more rare. Great Job!!! :) :)

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Lisa Valtierra

11/4/2013 05:30:08 pm

"We shall bear down the opposition, we shall sweep it before us - and Chicago will be ours! Chicago will be ours. CHICAGO WILL BE OURS!"

The HOHAM I decide to choose for this quote was significance because it's the end of the book. It just wraps the book up, but at the same times leaves the reader wanting to know more about what happened after that era and how it changed the world, which we find it did. I also found this quote to be super important because it shows what Upton Sinclair was trying to make his main point, and that was for the world to become a socialist. You don't really see that til the end of the book and I can see why people thought it was more about the meat packaging and the hardships that immigrants had to go with rather than trying to become a socialist. Since this book was written at the same time these events were happening, it just puts into perspective how much people wanted to break free and have equal rights and everything in between. I feel like the end of the book ends in a very strong way because Jurgis gets his life some what in order and even though he can't fix Marija's he tries his best to see the future of everyone who is a worker, so that they don't get stuck in horrible work conditions and being paid this "slave wage."

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Vivian Mason

11/4/2013 10:32:39 pm

I liked the HOHAM you choose for this response. It was well thought out and thorough. I also liked the detail you went into. What are some questions you might have though? Over all very nice :)

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Paris Gramann

11/4/2013 09:59:19 pm

"The "Appeal" had what it called its "Army," about thirty thousand of the faithful, who did things for it; and it was always exhorting the "Army" to keep its dander up, and occasionally encouraging it with a prize competition, for anything from a gold watch to a private yacht or an eighty-acre farm. Its office helpers were all known to the "Army" by quaint titles--"Inky Ike," "the Bald-headed Man," "the Redheaded Girl," "the Bulldog," "the Office Goat," and "the One Hoss.'" Ch. 30

HOHAM: Connection/ Supposition

The fact that leaders had nicknames like that reminded me of an underground club or the mafia. "The Bulldog said to give you this message..." The main connection that I see is the parallels of the bribery you see from the "Army" to modern day politics. In the army, the people would be bribed with things like yachts and acres of land. It sounds like it would only be the leaders with the nicknames that would get these prizes however. This sounds like the politicians giving themselves large bonuses. However, in the Jungle, the prizes are coming from a higher source, not self given.

If the people are working for Socialism, why would they give out prizes to certain people? Isn't the goal of Socialism to create equality amongst the people and what they are given? This reward system seems a bit backward to me.

Also, I wonder what our world would look like if everyone was Socialist. Would it actually work? Would it actually last? In everything you see a leader .. so how would human nature be overtaken and turned? What if Jurgis had convinced more people? What if.. what if.

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Vivian Mason

11/4/2013 10:30:11 pm

I liked the connections you made! Very interesting. Also the questions you posed where quite insightful. Over all nice job :)

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Vivian Mason

11/4/2013 10:41:27 pm

Quote: "..he would be a man with a will and a purpose; he would have something to fight for, something to die for, if need be!”
Response: With this quote there is a direct tie into self-advocacy. Jurgis has finally found his place in his small world. He knew what he wanted, therefore was willing to work and fight for this goal. At the beginning of the book Jurgis was in the same boat, he wanted to be the best he could be at his knew job to support his family. Later on in the book he wanted to be able to speak english so as to participate in the Union. Through out the whole book Jurgis sets goals for himself and finds ways to follow through with them, even it is getting drunk off a small amount of money. Jurgis advocates for himself in making these goals and accomplishing them. My final questions are: What will happen to Jurgis? How will his life turn out? Will he go into another bad part of his life? Or was this his all time low? So many questions...

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Halee Robinson

11/4/2013 11:20:38 pm

"These revolutionists were not angels; they were men, and men who had come up from the social pit, and with the mire of it smeared over them."
This quote makes me think of the hoham connection. We look back in history to revolutionary leaders and see them as strong. We hear their speeches and think of them as unwavering and brave. However, this is not the case. They were men, so many of which had been to hell and back. Many are probably afraid, or haunted by what they have seen. But the front that they put on in order to convince others of their loyalty to the movement is what all we know.

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Sophia Kormanik

11/5/2013 03:11:38 pm

“The sentences of this man were to Jurgis like the crashing of thunder in his soul; a flood of emotions surged up in him-all his hopes and longings, his old griefs and rages and despairs. All that he had ever felt in his whole life seemed to come back to him at once, and with one new emotion, hardly to be described. That he should have suffered such oppressions and such horrors was bad enough; but that he should have been crushed and beaten by them, that he should have submitted, and forgotten, and lived in peace-ah, truly that was a thing not to be put into words, a thing not to be borne by a human creature, a thing of terror and madness!”
HOHAM REFLECTION:
When I read this quote I felt like I could connect with the quote because everyone has been in that place. It says how he flooded with emotions everyone has the moments where we might cry or yell because of different emotions. I could connect personally because I have some moments that I just want to be alone and maybe cry because a bunch of different emotions are going threw me and I do not know what to do.

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Quentin Jackson

1/13/2014 11:37:24 am

Chicago will be ours!

These past three chapters have been disappointing to me. I feel like upton could have tried to show jurgis and his familys struggles a bit more than just ending kind of weakly with some discussion of socialism. I understand socialism was still a lesser known thing at the time, but I feel like they did not show it much at all.

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